Lawsuit alleges North Carolina student died after being 'viciously hazed'

A fraternity pledge at a North Carolina college died after he was “viciously hazed” by fraternity members at the direction of the fraternity’s “pledge master,” the son of the school’s president, the late student's family is alleging in a lawsuit.

The family of 22-year-old Robert Eugene Tipton Jr. filed the lawsuit against High Point University and the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, MyFox8.com reported Saturday.

Tipton was found not breathing in the off-campus apartment of a fraternity member on the morning of March 26, 2012. Doctors pronounced him dead.

The lawsuit claims he was allegedly told to attend a “counseling session” at the apartment on the day before he died, the Greensboro News & Record reported.

The suit contends that he was “hazed viciously” by Delta Sig members at the direction of Michael Qubein.

Qubein is the son of High Point’s president, Nido Qubein. Responding to an email asking about the allegations, the elder Qubein said simply that the charges could not “be further from the truth,” the newspaper said.

MyFox8 reported that High Point said in a statement that the university remained “saddened by the loss of Robert.”

“The University believes the lawsuit against it is unfounded and will defend itself in this litigation,” the statement said.